Many people in North Carolina and South Carolina are aware of the dangers of distracted driving and driving while using a mobile device. However, despite understanding the dangers of distracted driving, individuals often don’t see the danger in talking “just this once” or “making a quick call.” Today is national No Phone Zone Day – what will it take for you to turn your phone off while driving once and for all?

• In 2013, 3,154 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involv­ing distracted drivers.
• A Nationwide survey found that eight out of ten Americans think that some sort of cell phone and texting laws are a good idea for reducing the number of car accidents and injuries.
• The same survey found that 75 percent of respondents agreed that cell phone and text messaging laws should apply to all drivers – not just teens or commercial drivers.
• A University of Utah study found that talking on a cell phone while driving reduce motorist reaction times as much as having a blood alcohol level of 0.08 (the legal limit in North Carolina).
• A Virginia Tech distracted driving study found that truck drivers are 20 times more likely to cause an accident if they text behind the wheel.
• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that drivers who talk on cell phone are four times as likely to cause a car accident in which they are seriously injured.
• Distracted driving is a factor in 25 percent of all car accident cases – and police have reason to believe it is often under reported.
• A Carnegie Mellon study found that talking on a cell phone reduces driving-related brain activity by 37 percent.